Elli Travel, a Larchmont NY Travel Agency specializes in leisure travel for families, groups and couples. You can follow us on our blog www.ElliTravel.com or on www.Facebook.com/ElliTravel. We are proud members of Rosewood Elite, Four Seasons Preferred and Ritz Carlton Reserve.

From OTAs to Tripadvisor, the rise of mobile and the growing importance of social media, the hospitality sector is facing huge digital disruption. So how will emerging trends shape hotel marketing? And how can hotels best target customers as they move through what Google has identified as the Five Stages of Travel: dreaming, planning, booking, experiencing and sharing?

Perhaps one of Italy’s most memorable coastlines is often one of the least well explored. That is to say many travelers speak of the Amalfi coast, yet only end up exploring a simple section or seeing it from the vantage point of one town or a guided tour or even a ferry ride. The Amalfi coast in its entirety is something that can stun and impress at every twist and bend of its marvelous layout. [...]

This article discusses the Amalfi Coast from the perspective of someone who rents a car. I have been to the Amalfi Coast several times and can highly recommend it as one of the most beautiful places on Earth. However, driving there is not for the faint of heart. If you are not familiar with Italian driving, road signs, or the language there are inherent challenges. Add to that the narrow, winding, and steep roads and the challenges go off the scale in my opinion.

Nevertheless, you should put places like Positano on your life list. My wife and I traveled the Amalfi Coast recently with a company named "Share-A-Shore Excursions" and had a wonderful experience (you can find them on the web). The vans were small (cozy), as were the groups, and someone else (who knew the roads and area) did the driving. Since then we have looked into returning and have found that it would be quite easy to fly into Naples and then take a combination of trains and buses, or hired drivers, back to Positano.

The views from high above Positano are breathtaking. The history of the area is unrivaled. The roads are excruciatingly terrifying for the non-native driver. Don't let that stop you. Book a small van or take the train as far as you can and then switch to a bus or taxi. After lingering in Positano I would highly recommend that you allow a day or so to linger on the beach and stroll the shops. The hills that you must walk are challenging so it will take you a day or two to stroll them without exerting yourself too much. And, this is not the place to rush - take your time and enjoy the once in a lifetime view. Cheers, Dave

Dave Sumner writes about the various networks that connect us, be they political, cyber, social, or transportation networks. He often writes about global events and world travel at his blog. You can read more at:

To find the pulse of Rome, stray off the typical tourist path and you will be happily surprised.STAND within the Colosseum’s massive bowl, and you can practically hear the roar of the ancient crowd. But to capture the sounds of today’s Rome, it’s best to get away from the flurry of tourists and settle into a quaint trattoria like Da Tonino, where everyone within its rustic walls chatters away in Italian.No sign outside announces the restaurant; my wife and I dined there courtesy of a local’s tip. And that cloaked quality was precisely its appeal.Hidden gems – ignored by the guidebooks, well off the tourist path – await in nearly every nook of this wondrous city. Of course, visitors should crane their necks at the Vatican, sip espresso at an open-air bar in Piazza Navona and climb the Spanish Steps. But in a place with a history so long and rich that it is dubbed “the Eternal City”, only one approach seems plausible: peel away the layers, savouring each one, to get a deeper sense of the place.[...]

Best travel photography tips and techniques to cover well: Photography is the most important part of your travel. so a number of best skills & techniques need to be mastered to be able to tell the entire story of travel. Travel photography for travellers.

JWT’s third annual report on trends in the mobile sphere spotlights key themes that came out of this year’s Mobile World Congress, Consumer Electronics Show and South by Southwest Interactive, and builds on trends spotlighted in previous reports. The report covers significant drivers and manifestations of these developments, and their implications for brands. “10 Mobile Trends for 2014 and Beyond” is based around on-the-ground research at the MWC in Barcelona and SXSW in Austin, as well as desk research and insights gleaned from interviews with several mobile experts and influencers.

Watch the portfolio of other photographers in order to get new ideas and get inspiration. You can read the interview I did with Steve McCurry, the photographer of the “Afghan girl”, to get few great tips for a true master.Also, If you perceive ...

There’s nothing like taking a private water taxi service in Venice to many of the key destinations around the island and the outlying islands. Water taxis are the luxury limousines of Venice with beautifully crafted wooden ships, leather upholstered interiors and rich details. Not only are you getting off quickly to various locations around Venice, [...] click on the photo to read more

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